About Cal Skinner

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Category Archives: Fox River

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A press release from the McHenry County Defenders: 5th Annual “It’s Our River Day” September 15 The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County and The Village of Algonquin are sponsoring the 5th annual “It’s Our River Day” celebration and clean-up. The … Continue reading →

In typical fireman tradition, Crystal Lake resident Joel Arnier, fishing on a day off from his Addison Fire Department job, rushed to the rescue when he saw a mother holding her oxygen-starved daughter on the Fox River’s bank. Joel Arnier … Continue reading →

The Fox River’s level is not as high as it was after the snow melt, but it rose sharply after Sunday’s rain. You can follow the level here. = = = = = Here’s Monday morning’s level: … Continue reading →

I always get exercised when I see marginal highway projects in Downstate Illinois, while area residents are threatened (with the support of local officials) with a local toll bridge across the Fox River between Carpentersville and Algonquin. In 2007, we … Continue reading →

I always thought the Village of Algonquin should leave the northeast intersection of Route 31 and Alqonquin Road empty. Make it a park so people coming down the hill from the west could enjoy a view of the Fox River. … Continue reading →

After eating Mother’s Day brunch at a very crowded Port Edward in Algonquin, we went across Route 62 to Cornish Park along the Fox River. The river was high, as you can see, but certainly not as high as it … Continue reading →

When the Illinois Department of Natural Resources announced that the McHenry Locks connecting the lower Fox River to the Chain of Lakes would be closed Mondays and Tuesdays, along with fewer hours the rest of the week, Crystal Lake attorney … Continue reading →

Got some before and after the storm photos from below the dam on the Fox River this week. Below is what the dam looked like on Sunday, March 18h. Then, the deluge. Two days later this what was seen from … Continue reading →

On my roundabout way to NASA Education’s Veterans Stand Down Monday, I went past the bankrupt condos in Downtown Algonquin. I took a photo from across the river and wonder if whoever ends up finishing the project might reconsider facing … Continue reading →

A friend took some photos of the Camp Algonquin paddle boat tragedy and gave me permission to use them. Meanwhile, I have discovered that the helicopters were from Chicago television stations, not the Coast Guard. And the lights in the … Continue reading →

A friend took some photos of the Camp Algonquin paddle boat tragedy and gave me permission to use them. Meanwhile, I have discovered that the helicopters were from Chicago television stations, not the Coast Guard. And the lights in the … Continue reading →

As I was looking at the front page coverage of the Camp Algonquin paddle boat tragedy, I thought of the story I wrote March 23, 2007, on the first boat on Crystal Lake. The ice had just gone out and … Continue reading →

As I was looking at the front page coverage of the Camp Algonquin paddle boat tragedy, I thought of the story I wrote March 23, 2007, on the first boat on Crystal Lake. The ice had just gone out and … Continue reading →

It’s not at the flood stage it was in May, but the Algonquin dam is open and there is not much of a drop over the spillway, as you can see in the picture I took yesterday about 11. Considering … Continue reading →

It’s not at the flood stage it was in May, but the Algonquin dam is open and there is not much of a drop over the spillway, as you can see in the picture I took yesterday about 11. Considering … Continue reading →

That’s as one would expect, I guess, but I thought you might like to see what I saw this morning. Above you can see it is wide open. The flood level seems to be about at the same level as … Continue reading →

That’s as one would expect, I guess, but I thought you might like to see what I saw this morning. Above you can see it is wide open. The flood level seems to be about at the same level as … Continue reading →

A letter from State Rep. Mike Tryon: Fox/Chain of Lakes Flooding UpdateWATER LEVELS CONTINUE TO SLOWLY RISE ALONG THE UPPER FOX RIVER IN ILLINOIS. THE RIVER WAS NEARING CREST TODAY IN THE UPPER REACHES OF THE FOX RIVER ABOVE ALGONQUIN. … Continue reading →

A letter from State Rep. Mike Tryon: Fox/Chain of Lakes Flooding UpdateWATER LEVELS CONTINUE TO SLOWLY RISE ALONG THE UPPER FOX RIVER IN ILLINOIS. THE RIVER WAS NEARING CREST TODAY IN THE UPPER REACHES OF THE FOX RIVER ABOVE ALGONQUIN. … Continue reading →